While driving home from work yesterday, the car.

Tiny
ANDREA HOLYFIELD
  • MEMBER
  • 1988 PLYMOUTH RELIANT
  • 90,000 MILES
While driving home from work yesterday, the car just stopped working. The engine turns over but will not start. Have checked the fuel pump and changed the ignition coil and pick-up. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Saturday, March 23rd, 2013 AT 10:34 PM

4 Replies

Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,757 POSTS
All "crank, no start" conditions are approached in the same way. Every engine requires certain functions to be able to run. Some of these functions rely on specific components to work and some components are part of more than one function so it is important to see the whole picture to be able to conclude anything about what may have failed. Also, these functions can ONLY be tested during the failure. Any other time and they will simply test good because the problem isn't present at the moment.
If you approach this in any other way, you are merely guessing and that only serves to replace unnecessary parts and wastes money.

Every engine requires spark, fuel and compression to run. That's what we have to look for.

These are the basics that need to be tested and will give us the info required to isolate a cause.

1) Test for spark at the plug end of the wire using a spark tester. If none found, check for power supply on the + terminal of the coil with the key on.

2) Test for injector pulse using a small bulb called a noid light. If none found, check for power supply at one side of the injector with the key on.

3) Use a fuel pressure gauge to test for correct fuel pressure, also noticing if the pressure holds when key is shut off.

4) If all of these things check good, then you would need to do a complete compression test.

Once you have determined which of these functions has dropped out,
you will know which system is having the problem.
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Saturday, March 23rd, 2013 AT 10:38 PM
Tiny
CADIEMAN
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,544 POSTS
Youwill need to check for spark at the spark plug wires. If it's okay then try starting fluid in the throttle body.
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Saturday, March 23rd, 2013 AT 10:40 PM
Tiny
ANDREA HOLYFIELD
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thanks! We have tried all these. Will keep on trying.
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Saturday, March 23rd, 2013 AT 11:34 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,757 POSTS
I didn't give you things to try. I gave you a systematic way to find the problem. Believe me, it won't pass all those tests. It would be running if it did.
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Saturday, March 23rd, 2013 AT 11:49 PM

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